NHS strike action "on the cards" after pay talks break down

Hospital workers at a meeting in the Royal Victoria Hospital on Monday

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Health Service workers say strike action is “on the cards” after pay talks broke down over the weekend.

Hundreds of NHS staff packed into meetings at sites across Northern Ireland on Monday as unions lay the ground for industrial action in the new year.

Ballots are being held in a fortnight on whether or not to go forward with a fresh vote in 2019 to start industrial action. Until now, unions have not been specific about the nature of the action, but yesterday said downing tools is an option.

UNISON rep Conor McCarthy said staff in Northern Ireland “are fed up with being treated as second class workers”.

He added: “If people aren’t getting the pay that’s justified, if there’s no resolution of this then strike action is on eht cards. Workers are just sick to their back teeth of struggling. We don’t want to strike, we want to work with the Government and employers but we’re not prepared to be treated as second class workers any more.

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“Cleaners and porters are tired of the fact their colleagues in Birmingham are getting paid more than them. After the UK pay deal was reached NHS staff in England, Scotland and Wales get paid a minimum of £8.93 an hour. Lidl just announced they are putting their staff up to £9 an hour. But Band 1 NHS workers in Northern Ireland are still getting minimum wage of £7.85 an hour. It’s an absolute disgrace.

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The Department of Health insists they are “seeking to secure the additional funding required for a 2018/19 pay award that stands comparison to this year’s increase in England”. They say they are “very hopeful this will be successful”.

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